Turning Tables
by CarminaCordis
Summary: In an alternate universe, Detective Richard Castle meets mystery novelist Kate Beckett when he lands a bizarre case.  And for both of them, everything changes.
1. Chapter 1

Turning Tables

Richard Castle was a cop.

More specifically, he was a homicide detective with the NYPD's 12th Precinct. Uniform had fit his long, staunch frame well, but Castle was smart in a way very few people are able to comprehend. He saw things other people didn't; made connections where others lacked even the ability to provide conjecture. His innate talent had seen him rise through the ranks quickly, finally settling in homicide. It was fitting, really; after all, that was what had brought him here.

And so it was at work, in that steadfast way that only he possessed, that Detective Castle found himself on a Monday afternoon in October. It had been a nondescript day; he and the rest of his team, Detectives Ryan and Esposito, had worked a nondescript case; he stared at the now empty murder board in a nondescript, if slightly condescending way (those new smart boards were pretty damn cool, he had to admit); he answered his phone with a nondescript, "Castle."

* * *

><p>The case itself was first in the chain of events which differentiated this Monday from its predecessors. When the team arrived at the crime scene, the unusual nature of the crime was immediately apparent. Whereas a lot of scenes showed a lifeless body in a pool of blood, this one was clean. Meticulously so; the intrusive scent of bleach still hung in the stale air, and Castle could see a silhouette of man bearing a startling resemblance to himself walking beneath him on the cool marble floor. Whereas some scenes have a sense of reasoning in the choice of location, this one was a residential address in a nice area, with a couple of undoubtedly nosy neighbors inhabiting the opposite apartment. Someone was bound to have seen something, or heard something, or even speculated something. Whereas a few scenes have the cause of death lying discarded next to the corpse, this one was well concealed. Detective Richard Castle had seen many a case in his seven years in homicide.<p>

But not once had the victim been mummified.

That was really the only way to explain it; there was a person lying on the sofa with their arms pinned to their sides, and that person appeared to be bound in cloth. "Doctor Parish," he called quietly to the woman hunched over the corpse, "what can you tell me about our vic?"

Medical Examiner Lanie Parish seemed frustrated by his inquiry. "Not a lot, Castle. I don't want to unwrap our Egyptian friend here 'til I get him back to the lab, but by the size of the corpse, I think he's a he. Age; I can't determine. Also, I don't think your assailant was too skilled in the art of mummification."

"What do you mean?" A cluster of wrinkles congregated on Detective Castle's forehead.

"Well, are you familiar with how Ancient Egyptians used to mummify people?" Lanie widened her dark eyes.

"Yeah – pull the brains and guts out, drain the body of blood, and parcel it on up."

The ME gave him a brief disapproving look. "Usually it wasn't so crude," she corrected him, "but you've got the gist of it. However, judging by the exterior of the victim, I doubt the proper procedurals were utilized in these circumstances."

"Our vic was just wrapped up?"

Doctor Parish nodded. Castle, disheartened by the lack of anything really to go on, transferred his interests to Detective Esposito, who was just returning from questioning the building manager. "Hey Espo, you got anything?"

Esposito pulled a face for a split second; "Near to nada. Building manager over there says that the apartment was rented to a Sarah Bench, but she doesn't know much about her. Ryan's trying to contact Ms. Bench now, but otherwise, we've got nothing. CSU hasn't really started, but they say the scene looks clean,"

"So the likelihood of finding any relevant fingerprints or DNA are slim," Castle finished and Esposito affirmed it with an upwards nod of his head. The two men walked around the apartment procedurally, but both echoed each other's diminishing hope. Suddenly, doubled over on his knees behind the white sofa on which the victim was lying, Castle gasped enthusiastically, and arose brandishing a single page. The paper was yellowed; not the tea-stained hue of age, but more the scars of extended sun exposure. It was covered in small typed print, and torn, rather carelessly, down the side.

"It's a page from a novel," Castle explained.

"What book?" Esposito rebutted. "And why the hell is there one page of a book here?"

"I don't know," the now very much occupied detective replied, "but it's important. You're right, why leave a single page of a book lying around? Especially when you've left as clean a scene as this one. Ooh, see what I did there, with that rhyming?"

The other detective only rolled his eyes amicably. "I dunno bro. Maybe because he's a little messed up in the head? It fits the description."

"Ha. Yes, he – or she – might, or more likely probably, is a little crazy, but there's more to it than that. This page means something. And I know where it's from. The word 'thunder' is mentioned a lot, and it's always capitalized."

"So…" Esposito drew the word out much longer than its single syllable.

"Oh, come on, bro! Don't you read?"

* * *

><p>Detective Richard Castle was back at the 12th Precinct, waiting in Interrogation Room Two, when a certain someone visited. Her aura commanded the whole, if slightly empty, room; she was a powerful woman, Castle could already tell, and she hadn't even opened those red-tinged lips. She was tall and slim – an athletic figure, but she was clad in dark dress trousers and a fitted patterned blouse. Her chestnut hair descended in elegant waves to just below her collarbones, and her very feminine features were adorned with a mix of curiosity and keen observance, topped off with the faintest hint of a not-entirely-innocent smile.<p>

"Good afternoon, Detective. I'm Kate Beckett."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: If it seems familiar; it's not mine!

Chapter Two

Castle appraised her, and nodded. "Thank you for coming in, Ms. Beckett. I'm Detective Richard Castle, and I would like to ask you a few questions about a murder that occurred."

Kate's calm exterior became ruffled with alarm. "Who was murdered?" she replied, her voice uneven.

"We're not exactly sure, Ms. Beckett," he answered quietly. Then, suddenly understanding her concern, he added, "However the victim isn't necessarily of any relation or acquaintance to you."

Her tense posture relaxed, barely visibly, but Kate appeared to have regained her signature confidence. "Well then, I don't want to be rude," she smiled, "but why did you call me here?"

And now for the strange part, Castle thought to himself. "We found a page which we suspect came from a novel of yours at the crime scene. It's currently in the lab being tested for anything we can find as to the assailant's identity, but we have reason to believe that-"

"It is more than just a coincidence," Kate completed Castle's sentence, nodding. "What do you mean; 'you don't know who was killed?'"

Castle appraised her once more, assessing her reactions. Not that he could really judge, but this woman didn't really strike him as the homicidal maniac or enraged author type, and her eyes were bright with attentiveness, despite her slightly rattled state mere minutes ago. Wordlessly, he slid a manila folder of photographs across the table to Kate. Equally silent, her brow furrowed as she let the pictures show themselves to her.

"Is he… mummified?"

"Do you want the short version or the long version?" Castle flashed her a weary grin.

"I want the truth," Kate responded simply.

"He technically was not mummified, because whoever killed the victim failed to remove his or her organs and bodily fluids prior to wrapping the corpse up."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Bodily fluids?"

"Namely blood," he tried to speak sternly, but there was a silent glint of teasing hiding in his dark blue eyes. "So no, he isn't a mummy, but as you can see, the killer gave it their best shot. However, what I really want to know right now is why we found a page from your book at the scene of the crime."

His tone wasn't accusatory, and subsequently hers wasn't guilty. "I don't know. Which book was it?"

"Thunderstruck."

Kate pulled a face. "Really? Not one of my proudest achievements in literature. But I'm sorry; I really can't tell you why someone would leave a page from a book of mine next to the body they just dumped." Sincerity was laced through her softened voice.

"I understand. Thank you for your time, Ms. Beckett," Castle concluded, holding open the interrogation room door and gesturing for Kate to go forward beneath is arm.

"It makes you wonder though, doesn't it? Oh, and it's Kate." And with that, Detective Richard Castle watched her lean silhouette drift out of the Precinct, hips swinging but without a backward glance.

* * *

><p>Four hours later, and despite the close proximity of the clock hands to the big one-two, Castle was still sat, engrossed in papers, on his desk. His paling brown hair drooped across his face, which too had taken on a chalky mask. Face buried in the file clutched in his large hands, he wondered helplessly; desperately to himself. He wanted answers; needed an ending, but everything had come to nothing. Dr. Parish had informed him that the victim was 37 year-old-unemployed Marcus Albicca, but Albicca had no enemies; no one that might possibly benefit from his death; really, he had no one at all. The guy kept to himself, though Castle and his team were still stumped as to how he ended up in Sarah Bench's apartment. Sure, they lived in the same building, but no one could even confirm that they knew each other, let alone had any sort of relationship beyond that.<p>

Castle wanted leads, but all he got were dead ends.

* * *

><p>As the sun rose the next morning, so did the work ethic of three NYPD detectives. It was a gloomy sort of day; thanks to the heavy cloud of pollution settling in the sky, New York City was lit, quite literally, in varying shades of grey, and the vacant faces, and debatably equally vacant brains, of passersby reflected the sky's bitterness.<p>

But it was a new day all the same, and a new day meant new information – hopefully. Following the obligations of the non-existent yet mandatory rulebook of investigation, Ryan and Esposito were making their way to the apartment building where Albicca lived and died in the hope that security footage might reveal who killed him. It was blaringly obvious, but it was entirely possible that the murderer had been caught on tape.

Upon their arrival, the detectives found the small apartment lobby empty; not exactly unusual given the rather ungodly hour at which they arrived. However, after the drowsy-looking building manager, roused from sleep by the dulcet tones of Ryan's loud knocking on her door, came to meet them, it became apparent that the murderer had gotten lucky.

"I'm sorry," the woman began, attempting to cover her yawning with one hand, "but maintenance came and told me a week or so ago that the security cameras on that floor had stopped working."

Ryan and Esposito shared a silent but loaded glance. "Are you sure Ms. Preston? That footage could be key evidence in our investigation."

Hattie Preston adopted a distant air of discomfort, but shook her head nevertheless. "I'm certain. The cameras on the fourth floor stopped working about a week ago, and I hadn't gotten around to having them fixed yet. Not enough hours in the day, you know? It's horrible timing though," she finished lamely, shrugging her shoulders.

"Thank you for your time, ma'am," Esposito concluded.

* * *

><p>Back at the Precinct, three weary but obstinate detectives sat crowded around a less than pleasingly full murder board. "So the building manager," Castle started to speak, and paused to search for a name on the board, "Hattie Preston, said that the cameras had stopped working last week."<p>

Esposito nodded. "That's what she said. But get this, only the cameras on the floor where our vic was murdered stopped working. Look suspicious to you?" Ryan added, raising his eyebrows.

"So maybe someone gave the cameras a little help to stop working." Castle agreed, "And I'll bet that help was generously donated by our killer."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Surprise, surprise; I don't own Castle!

Chapter Three

Having asked Ryan and Esposito to follow up on the surveillance technician who had identified the broken cameras, Castle was just sitting down to his desk. An encouragingly minute file on Sarah Bench, in whose apartment the body had been discovered, lay taunting him in his eye-line; Sarah seemed to be in all respects a model citizen, which was great and all for New York City, but not so brilliant in shedding some light onto how the mummified Marcus Albicca had ended up dead in her living room. Fortunately for Castle, his inner musings were interrupted by the brash, piercing tone of his ringing cellphone.

"Castle."

"Good morning to you too, Detective," Lanie Parish's sarcastic response greeted him with all her usual spunk. "I've been able to confirm a cause of death for Mr. Albicca here on my table; there's a huge gash across his temple which I'm willing to bet killed him."

Brute violence, but from his experience, head wounds bled like mad, Castle thought to himself. "Thanks Lanie. Just wondering, if he got hit on the head, how come the mummy-cloth around his head was clean?"

Lanie sighed miserably into the phone. "The wound was bandaged up pretty well – and not just mummified, I mean it was properly bandaged. Not a hospital-grade job, but it soaked up most of the blood. Also, I would estimate that Marcus Albicca was killed somewhere in the window of eight to 10am on Monday morning."

"And your estimates are always so very accurate, my dear doctor," Castle fawned light-heartedly. "Thanks again, that's great to work with."

"I'd say my pleasure, but here that sentiment goes above and beyond the acceptable levels of creepiness. So no problem, Detective."

Castle smiled his signature crooked grin. Lanie Parish was a great, if slightly unexpected, friend of his and had been for a fair while. They were only friends; that went without saying, but she often managed to brighten his more morbid days. And now not only did he have a cause of death; he even had a time of death. With his well-worn cellphone still grasped in a clenched hand, he hit his most frequently used speed-dial – even he had to agree he was a bit of a workaholic – and said simply. "Espo. We've got news."

* * *

><p>"Dude, you totally ruined our little geek-speak extravaganza with the maintenance guy." This was Esposito's warm words of welcome as he and Ryan strode through the Precinct. Castle mocked intense disappointment, scrunching his nose up and hissing under his breath.<p>

"Gee, I'm so sorry guys. I know how much you two adore listening to socially challenged 20-something-year-olds fresh from their IT courses talk in computer language for a few hours. I really hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me."

Ryan dealt him a calculating look. "I might consider your apology. Maybe."

"So, so kind. Anyway, Lanie rang to say that Albicca died somewhere in between eight and 10 on Monday morning, and C.O.D was blunt force trauma to the head."

Esposito's interest was clearly piqued by the mention of a certain medical examiner, but it was Ryan who answered. "Ooh, that's got to hurt. Anyway, shall we ask around his neighbors, see where they were yesterday morning? Someone must have seen something."

Castle nodded. "Good idea. I'll give Sarah Bench a call; her sister said she was on holiday with friends but was conveniently getting back this afternoon."

As he said these words, Captain Montgomery poked his head around the door of his office and spoke loudly across the bullpen. "Detective Castle, can I see you in my office, now?"

* * *

><p>When Rick Castle entered Montgomery's office, he was surprised to see and woman seated in front of his desk. She wasn't a cop; he would have noticed her if she were. Suddenly something familiar about those dark tendrils appeared to him, and the woman turned around to face him. "Long time, no see, Detective," her voice sparkled with a heady dose of teasing.<p>

If Captain Montgomery sensed anything between man and woman in his presence, he had the grace to ignore it. "Castle, you've already met Kate Beckett. She's offered to assist on this case where she is able, and given the fact her book was found at the crime scene, I think that would be very useful in the solving of this case."

Well, this was a first. Castle had needed to deal with slightly obsessed family members and lovers in the solving of many a case. He'd had to cope with the aggressive types, too; the 'find out who killed the vic or you're next' sort of people. He'd even had a few weird ones come see him at the Precinct, driven by some unhealthy addiction to the macabre. However, Rick could honestly say that he'd never had help from a beautiful authoress whose book somehow appeared somewhat instrumental at his crime scene. "Well, Ms. Beckett, that sounds very useful. Thank you very much. If you go out and turn to your left, you'll see Detectives Esposito and Ryan, who are also on my team," he delivered with a charming smile, but his eyes alluded to silent confusion. "Captain, could I see you for a moment?"

Now it was Captain Montgomery's turn to smile. "Nope."

* * *

><p>A rather mutually awkwardness descended between Kate and Rick as they walked side by side across the 12th Precinct. Despite the sparse amount of officers scattered around the bull pen, both the detective and the writer seemed out of their element in the limelight provided by the stares of Castle's colleagues. Kate stuttered into the brittle silence first. "Detective Castle, if you aren't comfortable with the idea of a citizen assisting your investigation, speak up." Her tone was soft but radiated quiet authority.<p>

Castle flashed her a puzzled look. "Oh, not at all! I'm sorry for coming over that way," he replied, words streaming together in his haste for them to leave his mouth. Eyes brimming with indigo remorse, he continued, "And again, I think I might have to apologize again for being blunt, but I don't get it; why are you here?" Castle trailed off, but the essence of that omitted 'with me' still hung in the tense air, unspoken.

Her dark eyes met his, and words diffused through them with a fluency neither was accustomed to. Without making a single sound, Rick interrogated Kate yet again. But the questioning silence demanded more. It didn't just ask politely; it probed with startling persistence.

Finally, Kate pulled out the white flag, and admitted coyly; "I'm curious."

* * *

><p><span>Author's Note:<span> Thank you to anyone who is reading this, you are amazing! This story is heaps of fun to write, and it is so wonderful to know that some people are actually reading it (and hopefully enjoying it!). Of course, reviews would be lovely and would completely make my day ;) But thank you so much!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I'm sorry this took so long to publish!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, as if you didn't see that one coming...

Chapter Four

Two hours and 52 'this line is busy' calls later, it appeared to Castle that Sarah Bench was ridiculously addicted to her cellphone. To his slight surprise, Kate Beckett still sat in the weathered fake leather chair positioned next to his desk. Granted, she had substituted his excellent, if a little pre-occupied company for an app on her shiny white phone, but she'd stayed. With the resigned boredom of someone who was watching grass grow, or perhaps paint dry, Castle typed Sarah Bench's cellphone number onto the keypad on his desk, yet again.

"Hello?" Her tones were scratchy and blurred; whether this was at the fault of her telecommunications provider or a naturally highly unattractive voice wasn't entirely apparent. Due to his shock at actually receiving an answer after far too long, Castle hesitated momentarily, and Sarah seized the moment to continue impatiently. "Uh, hello?"

"Hello, this is Detective Richard Castle with the NYPD. Am I speaking with Sarah Bench?"

"Um, yeah. What's the NYPD?"

One of those sorts, Castle thought to himself. Sarah's boisterously loud voice was echoing throughout the Precinct, and when he glanced over at Kate, she was attempting, with some degree of success, to refrain from laughing. "The New York Police Department."

"Oh. What you do want?"

"Ms. Bench, a murder occurred in your apartment yesterday. Since it is still a crime scene, you cannot return to it, however we can arrange alternative accommodation for you if necessary."

"Someone got killed in my apartment?" She screeched, with the horrible high-pitched cry of a cat that decided to face-off a dog and came out second best. It wasn't pretty.

"Unfortunately so," Castle replied, however the exasperation in his tone was lost on the hysterical Sarah Bench. "The man killed was Marcus Albicca. Have you ever had any involvement in anything with him?"

His simple question was greeted by loud silence. "Ms. Bench?"

"Um, maybe."

"What do you mean 'maybe?"

"I don't remember all the names…" she trailed off awkwardly.

And then it clicked. "Ms. Bench, I only want to know if you knew Marcus Albicca. Not… the exact nature of your relationship…"

"Oh, um, I don't think so. What does he look like?" Her voice sounded uneven, like a child being chided by a parent, and Castle felt himself instinctively suspicious of her.

"Could you please come into the 12th Precinct tomorrow morning? That way we can talk better. Also, do you need accommodation until your apartment is cleaned?" As soon as the last sentence stumbled out of his mouth, he regretted it. Somehow, he highly doubted that Sarah Bench wouldn't find highly appreciative 'company' for a night or so.

"I'll find somewhere to stay. Bye." And abruptly Castle was left with only the dull repetition of beeping bleeding into his ear.

Meanwhile, an amused Kate was hiding behind a sarcastic smile. "You really attract all the charming women, don't you Detective?"

Castle winked. "Oh, only you."

* * *

><p>At the end of Castle's day, thick drowsiness hung low over the city that never sleeps. The ambient light of the streetlights were dim against the deep charcoal embrace of the night sky, but the quiet brightness was tranquil; comforting.<p>

He chose to walk home that day; true, New York wasn't exactly the safest place in which to walk around in the very late hours of the evening, but unlike a fair chunk of the population, Richard Castle was a cop with a gun. And so, with safety fastened securely to his hip, he allowed himself to think completely free of all boundaries; of work; of other people; of caffeine deficiency.

All his thoughts emanated from the point of interest that was Kate Beckett. Rick didn't understand her, and to be perfectly frank, that scared him. Her dark eyes, lit by teasing wit, were irresistible; tantalizing to him, and kept him constantly on edge. He was unable to refrain himself from taking in her slender curves as she walked before him, but he rationalized that there was no way he was the only one looking at her like 'that.' The woman was stunning.

But it was more than that. She was clever. Her quickness was entrancing, and it made her all the more extraordinary. That was it - she was extraordinary.

And he knew that she had a way with words as well. Sure, the forever-increasing list of bestsellers said a lot about that, but the craft with which she wrote; the way in which every phrase had been gently caressed into meaning everything but gave away very little gave her the mark of a true authoress. Castle admired that about her more than anything.

A nagging tremor in his head; the persistent voice of cop-rules reminded him not to trust her too soon. Yes, she had an alibi, and an airtight one at that, but it still begged the question of why her novel turned up in the very middle of a crime scene. Intuitively Castle knew that her cunning was entirely capable of deceiving him, and that she was probably a hell of a lot more dangerous; more potent than she seemed. It was written in the depths of her eyes.

But she was so very true. It was inexplicable; completely irrational, but the air emanating from her very presence was laced with pure honesty, like a musky perfume. She had to be innocent. He needed her to be innocent.

"_I really can't tell you why someone would leave a page from a book of mine next to the body they just dumped."_

The brittle air whispered her words with equal softness to her voice itself. As she echoed into the darkness, Castle could only reflect that her words rung true.

"_The body they just dumped."_

And then something inside him clicked.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Castle isn't mine.

Author's Note: I'm not sure whether to make the chapters longer, let me know what you think :) Anyway, have fun, read and review!

Chapter Five

No sooner had the thought occurred to him that Castle's cellphone rang. Apprehensively, for he didn't recognise the number, and it was a kind of ungodly hour to ring someone, he answered.

"Detective Castle."

"Hi, Detective. It's Kate Beckett."

Castle hadn't seen that one coming. Stumbling over his words in shock, he continued: "Oh, hi, Kate. Um, is there an issue or something?"

Quick as ever, Kate replied flirtatiously, "Is that why most women call you in the late evening, Castle?"

Fighting the blush threatening to rise to his cheeks, Castle returned the favour. "I didn't pin you down as the type to do it on the phone, Ms. Beckett."

"Pin me down? My safe-word is apples." He heard her laugh, hearty yet feminine, down the phone. "But don't get your hopes up, Castle; that's not why I called. You know how you're working the whole 'Sarah Bench might know more than she's letting on' angle?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Well, I was thinking, maybe Sarah actually doesn't know anything, maybe-"

"Maybe someone just dumped the body in her apartment-"

"Conveniently letting Sarah take the blame," Kate concluded.

"You know what, I just had the same thought," Castle grinned behind the silver bulk of his phone, and he would have sworn he could hear Kate's tranquil smile adorning her voice. "We'll check it out in the morning. Meanwhile Kate, 'night. Don't let the bed-bugs bite," he teased.

She completed the innuendo. "It's not the bugs who bite, Castle." And with that, she hung up.

* * *

><p>Too soon, morning dawned, and the team found themselves chained to their desks again. Ryan and Esposito landed, by means of paper-scissors-rock, the menial and tiresome job of running background checks on all of the apartment's inhabitants, and other prominent people in Albicca's life. So far no-one had popped out as a potential suspect, but the days, and the significantly sized list, were still young.<p>

Meanwhile, Castle got the fun task of interviewing Sarah Bench. His faith in Kate and him being right about Sarah only added to his annoyance at having to spend an extended period of time in a room with her, but it was procedure; and after all, he had called her in. 9:20 AM – she shouldn't be arriving for another ten minutes, and somehow Castle doubted her punctuality.

But there was another woman arriving.

Castle hadn't been convinced that she'd show, but despite his lack of sureness, he saw the tall silhouette of Kate Beckett walking towards him, armed with a handbag and portable coffee cup. He didn't blame her; the Precinct's coffee machine spawned a substance comparable to melted fossilized dinosaur urine – not meaning to be too specific. With the subtlety of a flashing red traffic light, Castle pretended to be very focused on some highly interesting detail on his computer screen as she walked over, then looked up with a smile.

"Good morning, Ms. Beckett."

She smiled in return and sipped her coffee. "'Morning, Castle. How's it going?"

"Ryan and Esposito – you meet them yesterday?" She affirmed this with a nod. "Well, they're going over the angle that the body was dumped. Meanwhile," he paused and consulted his watch, "I am about to go interview Sarah Bench."

Kate shifted uncomfortable for a moment, then asked in a quiet but firm voice, "You mind if I come with you?"

Castle smiled to himself; there was no need to let her know that he wouldn't mind her doing _anything_ with him. "Not at all."

* * *

><p>At precisely 9:46, Sarah Bench finally showed up in Interrogation Rom Two. With startling wit and originality, her first words were: "Am I being arrested?"<p>

Castle had to really restrain himself from letting go the exasperated sigh building inside of him. "No, Ms. Bench. I'm Detective Richard Castle, and this is Kate Beckett, a consultant with the NYPD. I just want to ask you a few questions."

"'Kay." Sarah's eloquence was inspiring.

"Ms. Bench, what were you doing from eight am to ten am this Monday just past?"

"Are you kidding? I was asleep!"

"At your apartment?"

"Yeah."

"Is there anyone who can verify that?"

Sarah looked befuddled. "Who can _what_?"

For the umpteenth time while conversing with Sarah Bench, Castle fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Can anyone prove that you were home, Ms. Bench?"

"Um, yeah." Apparently, Sarah felt no need to elaborate.

"I'm going to need a name…" he trailed off.

"Oh, right. Jake Withers."

"Thank you. Now, could you tell me anything you know about Marcus Albicca?"

"Isn't that your job?" was her snarky reply.

"Did you know him?" Castle continued as if her remark fell on deaf ears.

"Kind of. He lives down the hall from me. But I never talked to him or anything – he was really, really, weird. Can I still say that now he's dead?"

Even as a cop, sometimes Castle felt that the First Amendment had its flaws. "You can say what you like, Ms. Bench, but can you tell me anything else about Mr. Albicca?"

"Not really. He stuck to himself, mostly. But, um, I think he had some sort of argument with the guy across from me not so long ago…"

_That_ caught Castle's attention. In his experience, arguments often escalated to fights where one person came out second best, and in some cases, dead. "Which apartment was this in? And could you please tell me when you heard this argument."

Sarah deliberated, as pensively as someone dressed in neon tracksuit chewing canary yellow gum possibly could. "26. I think it was Saturday night, late."

"Thank you for your co-operation, Ms. Bench. You're free to go."

And in a flurry of blinding fluorescence, Sarah left.

* * *

><p>Back in the bullpen, Kate spoke up for the first time in a while. "Asleep at home? Does it get more transparent than that?"<p>

"We'll check it with the guy whose name she gave us, Jake Withers, but my gut tells me it's not her."

Kate bit her lip. "Yeah, me too. Somehow, I just can't see her murdering someone, and being so cool about it."

He nodded in agreement, and she went on. "But the mysterious guy in apartment 26?"

"Seems like he knew our victim pretty well. I'll give him a call as soon as I can track down his contact details." Castle spoke whilst rummaging through the files scattered across his desk.

"Hey, Castle?" Ryan piped up from across the bullpen. "We've got a hit. One of the apartment building tenants, Parker Lin, has a record of violent behaviour – hasn't killed anyone, but…"

"He could have it in him," Castle finished. "Which apartment does he live in?"

Ryan checked the notes clutched in his hand. "26."


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I am so sorry that this took so long to get out! I've been really busy and just haven't had time, but here's hoping you enjoy it now.

Disclaimer: Surprise, surprise, I don't own Castle…

Chapter Six

Castle whistled under his breath. "A witness reported a guy from 26 having an argument with our vic before he died. I guessing that was probably our Mr. Lin."

Ryan and Esposito nodded their affirmation.

"Saddle up. Let's go get this dirtbag," Castle added bitterly, reaching for his keys from his desk, just as the other two detectives mimicked his actions.

"Hey," Kate Beckett interrupted uncertainly, "can I come along?"

Castle stared her down, quietly assessing her. He knew it was against protocol; against procedure; against common sense, but some indescribable feeling inside of him warned him not to let this woman go. _Damn it, Castle, _he thought to himself. "Watch from the car only," he compromised, blue eyes flashing sternly.

Kate Beckett merely grinned.

* * *

><p>Soon enough, the three detectives and their keen follower arrived and parked outside the apartment building. Ryan and Esposito jumped out of their car immediately, and made their way towards Castle's. "You wanna just storm the apartment?" Esposito asked Castle with a voice like cold steel. Castle nodded. "Let's do it," he replied to them, and then turned back to Kate in his passenger seat. "Stay," he commanded. She raised her palms to him mockingly; but she'd surrendered.<p>

* * *

><p>Outside the door to apartment 26, three detectives stood in silent anticipation. Esposito was positioned outside the door; Castle and Ryan on his flanks, guns out. Castle held up three fingers to the attentive faces of the two detectives; then two fingers; then only one.<p>

"NYPD!" He yelled as Esposito kicked the door in.

The three men ran into a small, empty room; Parker Lin was nowhere to be seen. Esposito turned to speak, when Ryan shushed him. Castle pointed at the television, turned on to reveal three unnaturally tanned women and an obscene amount of Ks.

The other detectives nodded in recognition. Esposito crept over to the room on the right; Ryan to the one on the left. As for Castle; he made his way to the door straight ahead. Apprehensively, he placed his hand gently on the handle, and his ear to the MDF panel. A faint, ambient noise was emanating from the room ahead, and Castle took a deep breath, preparing himself.

Then he kicked the door off its hinges. "NYPD, put your hands up!" He boomed to the silhouette standing behind a bed in the middle of the room. The figure halted his actions, hesitating.

"Now!"

Intimidated by the three gun barrels in perfect position to blow a bullet straight through his brain, the Asian man lifted up his hands, palms towards the detectives.

Castle took his handcuffs out from his belt and sauntered confidently towards the trembling man. "Are you Parker Lin?"

The man nodded fervently, "Yes," he stuttered. "Why are you here?"

Castle seized his hands roughly and encased them in the cuffs. "Parker Lin, you are under arrest for the murder of Marcus Albicca. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, so as a caring enforcer of the law, I'm going to give you a helpful hint. Shut your mouth, and leave the words to your lawyer. He's gonna need it."

Parker Lin seemed to collapse over himself, eyes drawn tightly shut. Ryan took him off Castle, and he and Esposito dragged him outside, into the backseat of their car.

Suddenly a voice resounded from the other side of the room.

The very feminine voice of one Kate Beckett. "You never told me you could be such badass." Her eyes glinted darkly with a teasing hue.

Castle raised an eyebrow. "Why do I have this startlingly distinct memory of telling you to stay in the car?"

The woman shrugged effortlessly. "Your car smells of burnt coffee."

"And a dirty bachelor pad is heaven to your nostrils?" He rebutted sarcastically, pointedly gesturing around the less-than-desirable state of the apartment.

"Well Castle, maybe I just missed your charming company," she winked at him.

For once, Richard Castle was lost for words.

* * *

><p>When Rick Castle returned to the 12th Precinct he was greeted by the tall figure of Captain Montgomery. "Detective Castle," the Captain began, "how are you going on the case?"<p>

"Not too badly," Castle replied, nodding. "We've just arrested one Parker Lin, who was reported having an argument with our victim, Mr. Albicca, before he was killed. Lin's also been in the system before."

"It seems like you might've caught your guy, Detective," Montgomery concluded with quiet authority.

"It would certainly seem that way, sir."

Captain Montgomery assessed him critically. "You don't think he did it."

Castle smiled. "You know me, Captain."

Captain Montgomery chuckled. "You know Castle, there is such thing as an open-shut case."

"Indeed there is, sir," Castle appeased the Captain. "I just don't think this is one of them."

"And what makes you say that, detective? Care to share?"

Now it was Castle's turn to chuckle under his breath. "Where's the fun in that, Captain?"

"Sure, sure. I trust everything's going smoothly with Ms. Beckett?"

Castle raised an eyebrow. "Ms. Beckett has shown herself to be useful in that case," he began apprehensively; a little puzzled by the knowing glint in Montgomery's dark eyes.

The Captain smiled. "Good to hear. Now solve this case."

"Roger that, sir."

Suddenly, Castle's cellphone started to ring, with a whistling tune and Esposito's name scrawled across the scratched screen. Roy Montgomery nodded towards Castle and returned to his office. "Castle."

"Yo, Ryan and I are at the ME's office. Lanie thinks she found something. Oh and Ryan did a check on her alibi – there is no way Sarah Bench is our killer."

"Figured so much, but how do you know her company wasn't lying?"

Esposito coughed down the phone. "Pictures."

"Classy."

"I know bro."

All of a sudden, Castle remembered Esposito's earlier words. "Wait, you said Lanie found something?"

"Yeah; a few hairs on Albicca's clothes, too long to belong to him."

"Thanks, Espo," Castle ended the call, and allowed his confusion to reign over his quick mind. Something told him that this one strand of hair meant something. Sure, his gut had told him that Lin didn't kill Albicca, and the long hair couldn't belong to Lin. It probably wasn't Sarah's – she had a pretty solid alibi that Castle didn't care to check. She was so not his type. But the question remained – who was the mysterious hair-malting killer?

* * *

><p>Kate Beckett, after sending a text on her shiny new cellphone, had been watching the whole exchange. "That's some nerve, Detective. Isn't Captain Montgomery your boss?"<p>

Castle only laughed. "Yeah, he is. A little abnormality never did anyone any harm though, did it Kate?"

She shrugged, and then took a step closer to Castle. "So Castle, you like to break the rules? Get a little dirty?"

Rick was all too aware of how raspy her voice was from her pouted lips; how her white shirt took on a translucency under the lights at the Precinct; how easily he could close that all too little gap between them. "Speaking from experience, Ms. Beckett?"

Her glossy lips curved into a smile; her hazel eyes gleaming seductively with enchanting teasing. "Oh Rick, wouldn't you like to know."

* * *

><p><strong>Hopefully the chapter was worth waiting for, and please let me know what you think! :)<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Yeah, you know the story by now...

Chapter Seven

Detective Richard Castle stood stoically in front of the unwelcoming metal table in Interrogation Room One. In his hands he grasped a manila folder and in his eyes lurked a steel hardness, as cold as the slab in autopsy where Marcus Albicca lay. Behind the table, a nervous Parker Lin sat staring at his fiddling hands.

After a brittle silence, Castle began in a soft voice. "So, Mr. Lin, you have a bit of a temper, don't you?

Parker rubbed his face with his hand, as if he hoped to gain some sort of false security from the gesture. "That was a while ago. I've changed."

The detective only raised his eyebrow. "Zero points for originality, Lin. I've heard that one too many times to count."

Lin stared up at the detective; dark brown eyes met flashing indigo with a tangible harshness. Castle continued, "You know Marcus Albicca?"

This was confirmed with a sharp nod.

"So why'd you kill him?"

Suddenly, a distant anger gushed into the mahogany depths of Parker Lin's eyes. "I didn't kill him." Blunt determination leaked into his voice.

"Heard that one before too."

Parker took the bait, and he bit back with a vengeance. "Look, detective; I had nothing to do with Marcus' death," he bellowed with surprising force for a man of his impeded stature. "We were…" he trailed off, once again seeking solace in observing his hands on the table, "Good friends."

"Really? 'Cause I have a witness that saw you and Mr. Albicca arguing a few days ago. Care to explain that?"

Lin sat still, engulfed in the cocoon of his own silence.

"You got angry, didn't you Lin? It's happened before. It just got too much; the anger just bubbled and toiled inside you, until it was at a rolling boil and it all just overflowed. So you killed him. But why?"

"I didn't kill Marcus!" Lin yelled as he rose from his plastic chair, and the room quaked when his fist met the table. And with that, Detective Castle knew he had Lin; all he had to do now was watch Lin unnervingly and see that rocky exterior shatter like glass under a hail of bullets.

"I could never kill Marcus. I loved him." Castle heard the reverberations of sincerity's bells in his voice. "We argued a few days ago; yes. Marcus and I have – had- been together for eight months, and though I came out of the closet a while ago now, Marcus hadn't." Parker Lin gazed up at the detective, gaging his reaction, but if Castle was surprised, there was no hint of it in his cold blue eyes. "We fought because I wanted him to stop keeping it a secret about us, but Marcus was scared of how people would react. It frustrated the hell out of me, but we settled it. We couldn't stay mad at each other for long."

Castle nodded almost imperceptibly. "I hope that's the truth, Lin, but I'm still going to need an alibi for 8 to ten AM on Monday."

There was a little softness in his command that convinced Lin that the detective believed him, and he closed his eyes, thinking. "I was at work," he said hesitantly, "I work at Walker's Café. I went in early that morning to catch up on some stuff. God, I shouldn't have gone."

Behind the glass, Kate Beckett frowned and pulled out her phone.

However inside the metal box, Richard Castle walked towards the central table. "No, Parker," he began sincerely, "whichever bastard did this shouldn't have killed Marcus."

* * *

><p>After Castle arrived back into the bullpen after escorting Parker Lin out, a crease emerged between his eyebrows as he caught sight of a certain woman smiling all too delightedly at her cellphone. "Boyfriend?" he shot at Kate Beckett in a vain attempt to sound off-hand. Unfortunately for him, his voice broke mid-word, and his nonchalance ended up about as smooth as that of an over-caffeinated, over-protective grandmother. Not quite the look he was going for.<p>

Kate Beckett raised one eyebrow and smiled cunningly. "Daughter, Castle."

Castle almost spat out his coffee, and the resulting snort-choke wasn't in the slightest bit attractive. "You have a daughter?"

Kate's face was suddenly so tender; so sweet, that Castle found himself even more drawn to her. "Indeed I do. Her name is Alexis, and she's thirteen. She's wonderful." The reverence in her voice shone a thousand times brighter than her words.

"I'm sure she is," Castle agreed animatedly. "Wait, thirteen?"

Kate Beckett laughed loudly at Castle's math-isn't-my-strong-point expression. "I adopted Alexis when she was seven," she explained, and Castle's incredulous face cleared. "Do I really look that old, Castle?" she teased.

"No!" Castle yelped. "I didn't mean… I thought… you," he stuttered incomprehensibly as the ruby tinge flourished in his cheeks.

Kate's grin only widened.

* * *

><p>"Okay, thank you very much," Ryan finally put down his phone after a one-sided 'conversation' with a particularly chatty café-owner, who didn't seem at all fazed that his employee was a possible criminal. "Hey, Castle!" He called across the Precinct to where Castle sat at his computer.<p>

"Yeah?" the other detective called back as he made his way across the near-deserted bullpen.

"Lin's alibi is clear. Manger confirms that Lin turned up early Monday morning. But then…" he trailed off.

"We kinda already figured that one," Castle finished.

"Right," Ryan concluded. "So what now? Go over what we have; see if we've made a mistake?"

There was a long pause, where Castle was prevented from speaking by his fixation with the murder board. "The page from the book," he answered finally. "That's what I don't get. Why leave a specific page from a specific book behind if it doesn't mean anything? I think that's our next lead."

Ryan nodded. "We could check Albicca's apartment again, see if there's anything there?"

"Good idea."

"Didn't we give the keys to the apartment back to the building manager?"

"Yeah; we had no reason for which to keep them at that point. Hattie Preston, right?"

Ryan nodded again.

"Well then, let's go."

* * *

><p>Detectives Castle, Ryan, and Esposito were chatting amiably as they entered the apartment building. The conversation, revolving around highly important topics such as who was going to thrash whom at the next PlayStation night, lasted until they reached Hattie Preston's door.<p>

"Mrs. Preston? " called Castle. "NYPD. Could we have a moment of your time?"

A loud thump resounded, followed by a crashing of something unintelligible. After a pregnant pause, Hattie Preston shouted hysterically: "Don't come in!"


End file.
